Indigenous and ethnic minority health and wellbeing microcredentials across North America and Oceania: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction Indigenous and ethnic minority  health and wellbeing microcredential courses can offer a time-efficient and effective foundation for developing cultural competency for health professionals serving diverse patient populations. These courses can be a valuable component of ongoing professional development and may also serve as a pathway to further education. This scoping review provides an overview of accredited microcredentials focused on Indigenous and ethnic minority health and wellbeing currently available across English-speaking countries in North America and Oceania.

Methods: Online databases were filtered from January 2014 to June 2024 and included Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase and ProQuest. Online course search engines were utilised to identify relevant microcredential courses available in universities and polytechnic institutions. A narrative summary of the results is provided.

Findings: Six microcredential courses meeting the eligibility criteria were identified. Five of these were based in Canada and one in Aotearoa New Zealand. Most courses were developed by experts and community leaders from the target communities the courses were focussed on. Only one course reported an associated formal course evaluation process.

Conclusion: The scoping review revealed a general paucity of microcredential courses focused on Indigenous and ethnic minority health and wellbeing. Among those identified, most lacked detailed content descriptions and evaluation frameworks, limiting the ability to assess their quality. These gaps are concerning, as such microcredentials may represent a valuable strategy for equipping health professionals with the skills required to deliver culturally competent care. Future course design and evaluation processes should be formally embedded within educational curricula, with outcomes openly disseminated.